Improvement in adding-machines



J. H. HEARS.

, ADDING-MACHINE. No.183,4-09. V Patented 0ct.17.1876.

N.FETERS, PHDTO-LlTHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTOIL n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT QEEIoE.

JOHN H. MEARS, OF OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TOALONZO G. AUSTIN, OF SAME PLACE.

lMPROVEMENT IN ADDING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 183,409, dated October17, 1876; application filed March 29, 1876.

- To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN H. MEAEs,.of Oshkosh, in the county of Winnebagoand State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Arithmometers, or

- Ad din g-Machines and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, andin which Figure l is.a perspective View ofthe machine. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of one of the computing wheels or disks detached and Fig. 3represents the reverse side of Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

This invention relates to that class of machines used for computing andadding up sums; and it consists in the construction and arrangement ofparts in the manner hereinafter more fully described.

A is a box or case, having raised ends or side pieces A. The front partof this box has a longitudinal mortise or recess, denoted by a. A rod orshaft, B, is placed longitudinally through the box A, forming an axlefor a series of wheels, denoted by 0. Each of these wheels consists of adisk, 0, affixed to one side of which is a metal plate, denoted by 0,provided with a series of thirty circumferential cogs or ratchets,opposite to each of which is a projecting pin, 0. Each disk forming thewheel 0 has three recesses, denotedv by e, in each of which is placed abent wire spring, f, projecting through a slot, 9, as shown in Fig. 2.Each of the metallic disks 0 has a series of oircumferentially-arrangedprojecting pins, 0, one pin being placed opposite to each cog orratchet. Three sets of figures, from 0 to 9, are arranged upon the edgeof the disks O, the springs fprojecting through the slots g justopposite to the figure 9 on the face of each disk. The number of thesedisks or wheels may be varied according to the number of ciphers in thesums it is desired to add. In the drawing, I-have shown an instrumenthaving six wheels, one of which, 0 instead of having three sets offigures from O to 9 on its face, has a series of consecutive numbersrunning from 0 to 29, thus increasing the capacity of the machineeightfold. To the rear side of the box A is affixed a series ofprojecting curved metallic springs, D, so arranged as to cover aboutone-third of the circumference of the disks 0, as shown in Figs. 1 and2. Each of the springs D has a shoulder or offset, 27, slanting towardthat part of the boxA to which they are affixed. To the face of each ofthe springs D is affixed an index consisting of ciphers from 9 to 1, thefigure 9 being in the upper and l at the lower end of each spring.

The operation of this instrument is as follows: The disks 0 are firstturned back until the spring-pins f come against the projecting cams orshoulders i of the springs D. Each disk is then turned, the operatorcommencing either from the right or the left, at his own option, untilone of the pinsfcomes opposite to that cipher on the index placed on thesprings D which corresponds to the cipher in the amount to be added up.Thus, for instance, if the operator desires to add the sums of 742 and317, the wheel farthest to the right is turned until the pin f comesopposite the cipher 2 on the index. Next, the second wheel from theright is turned until the pin comes opposite figure 4 of its index. Thenthe third wheel is turned until the pinfcomes opposite the cipher 7,thus indicating the first amount, 742. The second amount, 317, isindicated in the same manner by first turning the third wheel from theright until the pin comes opposite the figure 3. Next, the second wheelfrom the right is turned until the pin comes opposite the figure l onthe index, and, lastly, the wheel nearest the end is turned until thepin comes opposite Fig. 7. By looking through the slot at in the frontpart of the box, the amount of these two sums added (in this case 1059)will appear.

It will be observed that the projecting springs D answer a fourfoldpurpose: First, they act as springs to keep the wheels or disks fromrevolving too far or too easily; second, they form the cams or shouldersi for retaining the pins f of the disks 0 in the proper position beforecommencing to add. Third, they form the indexes to which the ciphers'areattached; and, fourth, they cover the numbers or ciphers on the faces ofthe wheels, so that these can only be seen through the slot or mortise aprovided in the front part of the box A.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is- 1 1. In an adding-machine, the combination of thenotched plate G, having projecting pins 0, with the disks 0, providedwith recesses for the spring-pins f, the latter projecting through slotsg beyond the peripheries of disks

